Key stories that shaped Noweto this year
The area ends the year grappling with familiar but escalating challenges, crime, environmental decay, overloaded facilities and painful human tragedies.
Noweto faced a challenging year defined by service delivery pressures, social instability and public safety concerns.
From infrastructure failures and environmental neglect to deeply personal community tragedies, each event revealed both the hardships and the strength of residents who continue to push back against deteriorating conditions.
Across Soshanguve, Mabopane, Winterveldt and Ga-Rankuwa, people organised, protested, and called for greater accountability, refusing to accept the decline of essential services.
Here are the five stories that had the most significant impact on Noweto this year:
Two arrested for murder of five in Soshanguve
Two suspects were arrested on March 24 in connection with the gruesome murder of five community patrollers in Soshanguve, north of Pretoria.
The murders occurred in the early hours of Saturday, before police were called to the scene and discovered four bodies with gunshot wounds, some of which were partially burned. A 20-year-old man later succumbed to his injuries on Sunday, bringing the total of fatalities to five.
The two arrested suspects, aged 27 and 50, were allegedly linked to other murders and house robberies on February 21, according to police.
Thirst and fury in Hammanskraal with pipeline delays
Residents of Hammanskraal had to endure more than 40 days without a single drop of water from their taps.
Despite government assurances of progress, frustration was boiling over as delays in critical infrastructure projects continued to leave residents dry, angry, and demanding answers.
The crisis persisted even as government officials pointed to recent infrastructure developments, including the partial handover of the much-anticipated Module 2 of the Klipdrift Water Treatment Works, formally handed to the Tshwane Metro on June 29.
The new module had been designed to supply 12.5 million litres of water daily, yet for communities like Kudube units 1, 2, 3, 6, 10 and D, Jubilee Tower, and Majaneng, it hadn’t translated into flowing taps.
According to a joint update issued on July 23, a key reason for the delay in restoring full supply was that the permanent pipeline meant to transport treated water from Babelegi to the Temba Reservoir 3 had not been completed.
Mabopane centre opens its doors to focus on seniors’ needs
Elderly residents of Mabopane were filled with joy and excitement on February 20 as the much-anticipated Mabopane Social Integrated Centre officially opened.
The centre offers a range of essential services for the community aimed at improving the lives of the elderly, people with disabilities and the general public.
Senior citizens were delighted with the centre’s focus on providing for their specific needs.
The centre, launched by the Gauteng MEC for Social Development Faith Mazibuko is aimed at bringing government services closer to Mabopane’s residents and surrounding communities.
MMC promises road repair for struggling Winterveldt learners
After a long time of enduring hazardous travel conditions, learners at Reimolotswe Primary School in Winterveldt may finally have something to look forward to: safe and accessible roads.
This comes after the MMC for Roads and Transport in Tshwane, Tlangi Mogale, visited the area and committed to addressing the deplorable condition of the access roads leading to the school.
For months, the gravel road leading to the school has been riddled with deep potholes, uneven surfaces, and pools of stagnant water, making it nearly impassable, especially during the rainy season.
Mogale promised immediate intervention.
One woman is changing lives in Soshanguve
Rekord is shining its light during Women’s Month on the Kagiso Phenye Foundation in Soshanguve South, which empowers children, women, and vulnerable families.
It was officially established on April 4, 2012, by Kagiso Phenye. She runs it out of her pocket and through donations from good Samaritans.
Phenye was inspired by her own experiences of hardship, poverty, and environmental degradation, which saw her commit to selfless service and community work.
Over time, the initiative grew into a more structured set of programmes.
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